The Depth Of My Being
by Emerald5
Summary: A sorceress discovers the full extent of her abilities, and finds them nothing like the elemental arts she studies.
1. How It All Started

I'll skip the disclaimer on the next chapter, but here goes: If you do not know that this is a Diablo II (owned by Blizzard) fanfiction, then you must get your head checked. Now then, pretend I wasn't so snide, and enjoy.

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Fire...

It is the last thing on my mind, the last thing I care to think about. The fire is nothing to me, it burns, and it rages, nothing special. I see flames everyday, either from the candles that illuminate the hallways or the balls of fire that the matriarchs shoot onto unmoving targets as demonstration. It is a lost cause, continuously practicing aim against a motionless thing when it really all depends on the ability to strike objects in motion. Me? I am different from them, the Zann Esu, sorceresses they call themselves.

My name is Prisca Hamwich, and this is my story... or at least the beginning of it.

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A singsong voice came from my left side.

I lifted my head, which had been rested on my crossed forearms while I slept.

I said this is boring.

I looked around in confusion. Oh, right, I was in school. Sometimes I was mad at myself for falling asleep in the middle of a very important lesson, but then the anger passed as I came up with a rather large bucket of excuses for doing it. So I continued to fall asleep, and the instructors never found out, or they just didn't care. For the last few days the old hag, which was what I considered the teacher to be, stood up front giving lectures on the history of Energy Shield. I barely heard the first few words before sleep took me again.

In sleep, I experienced much more exciting things than the outside world could care to offer. It was mainly because of my dreams, and strange dreams they were. I could not understand most of what transpired within them from the images, rather I focused on broader things now. The dreams consisted of mostly colors and lines, at least to me, funny how those same elements compose everything we see.

Excuse me. I looked up to see the old hag walking toward me, or rather, she marched. She looked like one of those women in their mid forties who were still single and had nothing better to do than to scold children for any mistakes. Perfectly brushed hair, the short ponytail, stern looks glaring at you wherever you go.

Her brown robe brushed roughly across the ground as she took the rigid steps. I didn't know whether I should be jealous that she moved with so much strength or laugh at the extent to which she took discipline. Which reminded me, I was in disciplinary trouble, she probably saw me dozing off. Maybe she wasn't talking to me, but that thought was quickly dismissed as she came closer and her eyes seemed more focused on yours truly.

Yes, Ms. Bailey?

Repeat the last two words I said. She bent down and her eyes gazed into mine, as if starting a staring contest.

I looked around for help from any other students. All their eyes stared at me mockingly. Without any moral support, I resigned my fate. The world became a blur of colors and lines as I disregarded everything that happened around me. Time went by slowly, I felt tension all around, nothing happened for a while. Then I refocused my sight. The instructor was at the front of the room again, far away from me.

What did you do to her? The same person who spoke to me a while ago asked. I remembered her name now, Crebeth, it took me so long, why was that? I should start paying more attention to reality... and maybe I wouldn't get into so much trouble in school.

I sighed at the question. I don't really know. What happened?

She tossed back a few strands of blond hair that perched on her shoulders and looked down on the desk, as if trying to focus on anything else other than me. She played with her hair for a while, starting to speak, then stopping again, not knowing what to say. Was my question that hard? Well, first she stared at you for a while, and when you didn't answer... She just turned and walked back up front like nothing had happened.

That seemed plain and simple... I whispered, to no one in particular.

No other words were exchanged between us as we returned to doing our own things. Only exception was, I didn't sleep any more. For the first time, I actually listened to the entire lecture, not that I learned anything from it, but at least I knew I had the potential to do so. That was how the class ended. As we filed out, I noticed all the other students tossing me suspicious glances. I didn't need to ask about the reason.

I left the school building with new thoughts on my mind. As I left the last step, I turned back... was it really the end of the school day? Yes, of course. Lecture was always the way to end each day.

It was a long walk home. In the dense jungle, going anywhere was a long walk, especially if one didn't know the way. Vines slithered their way around enormous tree trunks and thick grasses and all assortments of plants dominate the area. I found it too easy to navigate. The surroundings had been imprinted into my mind for some time now, I knew every tree, every rock, every flower, all the way back home.

My house... It was, as always, vacant. They had set it up like that, for every recruit. The entire place was nothing more than wooden logs put together, covered on the outside by leaves of all sorts of trees. The front door opened without a sound and I made my way inside.

The place seemed small on the outside with all the tall trees, but once I got in, the world changed. First thing that came into view happened to be a simple bed, laid with a fiery orange sheet. Next to it stood a short table, around two feet tall, with a stack of paper on it. Ah, the notes from school, maybe I'll look at them later. Maybe.

A library of books lined the other side of the room. Had I even opened any of them? Probably not.

Carelessly, I walked to the bed and fell facedown on it. I couldn't be so tired after sleeping through all the lessons. Outside the sun shone through the opened door, what time was it anyway? Yes, lunch time.

Groggily, I reached over to the desk and picked up a random piece of paper, something to read before eating. Coincidentally, I picked up one of the yellow sheets that were supposed to signify urgency and importance. Must be another one of those warnings about casting certain spells. I could barely read what it was, since I must have accidentally poured a cup of water over it or something. I read what it said out loud, hoping for something amusing. I remembered this one time when I read from one of the other notes:

WARNING: DO NOT CAST ANY FIRE SPELLS IN AREAS WITH FLAMMABLE COMPOUNDS.

I spent the next two days laughing at it by myself. It would've been better if I had some other people to laugh with... Too bad I didn't have any friends. Everyone in school strived for the best, although on the outside they did not show it. As for me, I didn't remember casting a single spell in my entire life, but I must have, seeing as I actually made it to the advanced classes. I could have forgotten it. That was the way it seemed to me, I kept forgetting things, making me wonder how I remembered the way home everyday. The thought left me and I looked down at the piece of paper I held.

This one looked different compared to the others. The text stated that it is of utmost importance to attend an after school meeting today. Today? Oh. I started calculating. It took me at least half of a regular lecture to get back home, so it would take another while to get back to the school building. Forget it, I'll never make it anyway. I got up, at least the other students will tell me tomorrow.

I walked outside into the bright sunlight, the warm radiance basking me in its glory. It was almost completely quiet, except for the nearby stream running downhill to some village. I never left this place before, maybe a little walk... The thought trailed off as I noticed someone coming my way.

It was a woman, maybe about fifty years old. I could see long, white hair trailing down beyond her shoulders, though a few darker strands were still mixed in there. A few wrinkles showed in her face, she was different from the lady giving me the lectures not too long ago. Instead of the strict discipline showing in her face, she had a warm feeling to it. It was something I could not describe at the moment, my memory, it must be fixed soon if I started forgetting everything. She did not smile to me, but I felt like I knew exactly what it would look like.

As she made her way slowly toward me, I waited... Well, it might have been better for me to walk over to her instead. Disrespecting the elders, was that not supposed to be a disgrace? Especially when the elder seemed like such a nice person. Instantly I started my way over there, carefully avoiding the roots that stuck out of the ground, which could be another reason that she moved so slowly.

I looked over at her, seeing a staff in her hands, and a long, green gown that seemed to never touch the ground yet covering her entire body. Strange markings were present in the gown as well as the staff, a type of writing, as far I knew. Magic, of course. I was so intrigued by the markings that I did not notice a small rock jutting out where I would step next. Hitting it did not hurt, falling down did. I landed somewhat ungracefully on my outstretched hands. At the moment, I wondered if I felt more embarrassment or anger, neither of which I liked.

I started getting up, and felt soft hands help me up. Looking up, I stared directly into her gray eyes, and the smile. I remembered that smile, since seven years ago I had been seeing the smile everyday. It was my mother's smile. I couldn't tell exactly what I was doing, perhaps I was just staring at her, and that must have been why she waved a hand in front of my eyes. I broke out of the trance, but did not do much else. Say something! My mind screamed at me, but I couldn't listen. It had been seven years already, I was only fourteen at the time, how could I have known it would be this long?

Seven years, and all of it flashed by in what seemed like a few days. At first I would not forget a single thing about my family, I kept hoping that someday we would meet again. I left for them, it was my excuse, only supported by the fact that the Zann Esu sends a continuous stream of fortune to all families that were willing to give up their daughters. I surely hoped that was how it worked, how horrible would it be if something had happened to them? Yet, only three months later, I had stopped thinking about them.

Excuse me, dear. I broke away from my thoughts, Can you tell me which way the University of Habacalva is?

Um, of course. I study there.

An expression of surprise crossed her face. Did the instructors inform you of something important today?

So she had something to do with the meeting. I kind of forgot about it until I got home. I felt a bit nervous, and guilty, and angry at myself.

Oh. Well, you can still go. See, I was supposed to be the main speaker, but when I got lost out here... She sighed deeply, I'm afraid that age had something to do with it.

Of course I'll still go. She was the main speaker? I could not even think about it, knowing that I would have let someone like her down by not going. Maybe it was just because I missed mother.

So, lets leave before we are really late, which way is it?

I told her where it was and tried to help guide her there, but she was doing something else. Ma'am, what are you doing?

She did not answer my question, but gave a simple command, Hold my hand, and dont call me maam, my name is Elvira.

As I touched her, I felt electric waves rush up my arm. I had never tried to cast any of the lightning spells, so it was a new sensation. The electricity began to increase its ferocity. M... I mean Elvira, are you sure this is safe? It felt like the lightning was trying to split me apart.

It's perfectly safe, now be quiet. I need some concentration. Suddenly she gripped my hand in hers tightly, and everything around us disappeared. It was instead replaced by the familiar scene of a stage.

Looking down, I saw a few hundred eyes look up curiously at us.

Elvira looked on with a comforting smile. I'm sorry for being late. There were some... navigation problems.

I waved weakly, wondering if my hair was sticking up from the static of the teleporting spell. 

That was how it began, I would have preferred it some other way, but I guess it was meant to be.

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Some feedback, please. Chapter two coming in a while.


	2. Getting Lost

I felt my eyes blink.

"Who is that woman?"

"What is she doing with that girl?"

"You guys know who they are?"

"Yes, that's Prisca Hamwich, maybe it's her grandmother."

The crowd below talked it over with themselves. As for me, I just stood there on uneasy feet. After a few seconds of them staring at me, I stepped down into the crowd with some effort. Everyone around me was looking, I could feel it, but I could not think of anything to say. When a voice erupted from the stage, though, I felt the gazes turn.

"Greetings, young sorceresses. My name is Elvira Sherwood, and I am in charge of gathering spell casters from all the schools when there is great necessity." She had a powerful voice when speaking to a crowd, but not that she was screaming at us. "As you've all probably learned from the prophecies, the time of emergence is coming. The Three are coming. Truth be told, I do not know when, just soon. However, we must do whatever we can to stop them from uniting, and that can only be done with the purest power of the elements."

She paused for a moment, and the crowd became completely silent. People were looking at each other with questioned expressions. I saw quite a few glances at me as well, did they really think I had something to do with Elvira?

"I will be taking some of the most talented volunteers from this school, and I mean just that: volunteers. Meet here tomorrow at sunrise only if you choose to go, otherwise, go to your normal classes."

Everyone burst into whispers at that, probably deciding among themselves whether they would go. They all seemed excited, so eager to go. What about me?

"What about you, Prisca?" Someone I didn't even know was standing next to me. She asked me the question casually, as if we had been friends for a very long time. She was slightly shorter than six feet, but I my eyes were at the level of her lips. Her hair, an orange color, was worn in a ponytail with two strands falling to the side of her face.

"Who are you?" I instinctively asked, while peering into the dark pupils in front of me and into my own reflection. My light brown hair was all frizzled, standing up at random places due to Elvira's spell. My skin was of a darker shade than the other girl's ivory white. She blinked.

"You mean, you don't know me?" She stumbled back a step, seemingly hurt from what I said. Something was wrong with the picture. She looked confused for a few moments, but then laughed at me like something was really funny. "You almost got me there, Prisca, with all that seriousness in your voice. We both know that you couldn't possibly forget your best friend in just two days."

I stood perfectly still, not even able to breathe. What was she talking about? I swore I had never seen her my whole life. I had a friend? My staring blankly at her must have scared her, because she shook me worriedly.

"I said, you couldn't possibly forget your best friend, right?"

"No, of course not." I whispered, before taking a few cautious steps back. After seeing that no one blocked my way to the exit, I broke into a run, ignoring the voice calling to me from my "best friend." My mind was such a jumble as I tore out of the school and back into the forest.

It was not fear, more likely confusion that overtook me. Trees, grass, rocks all flashed by in a mess. Insects and birds flew off in self-preservation as my rapid steps took me away from it all. Finally, I stopped near one of the largest trees that I had ever seen. As I held on to the surface of the tree trunk, I gasped for air and recalled what had happened. I leaned my back against it, looking into empty space.

Something had to be wrong with me, I decided. Maybe one of the alchemist healers in the school could help me by brewing up a potion. Or, maybe there's no hope.

I looked back at the tree. It stood in the middle of a huge patch of space that no other tree seemed to grow on. It was more powerful than all the other trees in the area, with also something magical about it. It was, nevertheless, still alone when it came to technical terms. I could feel some kind of connection between us, and without thinking, I talked to it, "I know how you must feel."

There was no response, not that I had expected any.

"You're all alone, just like me. You are different from them, but they think you're the same. They think they know how you feel, but in reality, they-" I caught myself there, what the hell was I doing? I must really be crazy, was I talking to a plant? I laughed, sounding much like a canary chirping, all the while banging on the tree with a bare fist.

"Don't do that. Trees have feelings, too, you know?" A rough voice invaded my senses.

I turned around. There, only a few yards away, stood a large man. He wore a thick fur coat, probably made from a bear, and had the same colored hair as his clothes. "Do I know you?" I wasn't really sure if I knew anyone anymore.

"No." He answered simply. "But what are you doing all the way out here?" He seemed to be inching toward me.

"Nothing." As he got closer, I moved away.

"Don't worry. I mean no harm to you."

That's what bandits and murderers always say, I thought. He came closer, but instead of heading my way, he went to the tree. I watched curiously as he looked at it for a while, carefully feeling it where I had hit it. In a strange tongue, I heard him whisper to it. At least I'm not the only crazy one, that felt reassuring... somewhat.

"Why are you talking to a tree?"

He paid on attention to me, just kept talking. I stood there for a few minutes as he kept whispering to it, only once breaking off to point at me.

"Are you crazy or something? Trees don't talk." When he still did not seem to notice me, I went up to him to make sure that he was all right. It happened just then. There was no warning, just a loud growl from a nearby bush, and then a creature jumped at me.

I heard the sound of my own yelp of surprise, but the sound dragged on for what seemed like eternity, even after I closed my mouth. When I realized what was happening, my right hand was placed in a defensive position, facing the huge wolf that leapt at me. In fact, it was still leaping, just in VERY slow motion, it was almost suspended in mid air, but did not even seem to notice. I ducked out of its path and looked in fascination as it took quite a few seconds to land on the ground, forelegs first, then the hind.

Impossible... I watched the leaves of the giant tree as they swayed from a soft breeze, again, slowly, so slowly that I could capture every moment of it. Was everything slowed down except me? I heard a loud thud from next to me, except this one did not have any echoes following it. I turned to look, and gazed into the muzzle of a really ticked off canine, this time it did not seem to move slowly.

I was having my last prayers to the Phoenix when the wolf turned and walked casually away. It was the strange man. He said something to the creature.

"How the... what... you talked to the wolf?" I finally found the strength to burst it out.

Instead of him boasting about his abilities, he actually chuckled. "And I thought you were the one that dodged out of its attack faster than lightning."

He was right. It must've looked like I got out of its way really fast to them. What really happened, though? Was I moving extremely fast or was the rest of the world going extremely slow? I'll look into that a bit later. Dismissing the thought, I faced him. "So who are you anyway?"

"Me? Nothing special, just a resident of the woods. You can call me Niseth."

Don't trust him... I reminded myself. When I started walking away, nothing followed me, strange. Where's the way home?


End file.
